Planetary gearing



- June 5, 1951 c. M. OLEARY 2,555,454 PLANETARY GEARING Filed Oct. 16, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

52 /226 alga Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to a power transmission system particularly designed for use in driving the rotary table of a rotary well drilling machine from an independent power source.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a compact independent drive connection between a source of power, such as an internal combustion engine, and the rotary table of a well drilling machine incorporating animproved two-speed and reverse transmission mechanism of exceptional ruggedness and durability.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drive connection of the type mentioned including a hydrokinetic torque converter for automatically varying the speed and torque ratios in accordance with variations in the load.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, the accompanying drawings and the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved transmission;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a wiring diagram suitable for use in controlling the transmission;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the pneumatic control valves employed for controlling the speed ratios of the transmission; and

-Figure 6 is a diagram showing representative efficiency and torque curves for hydrokinetic torque converters plotted against speed ratio.

Referring to the drawings, the invention comprises a power transmitting transmission adapted to connect the engine or other suitable source of power I with a conventional rotary table 2 of the type employed to rotate the drill stem in a rotary drilling machine, The transmission preferably includes a hydrokinetic torque converter, indicated generally at 3, the input shaft of which is connected to the engine crankshaft. The hydroliinetic torque converter is of the type employing a vaned impeller connected to the power input shaft, a varied rotor or turbine connected. to the power output shaft 4, and stationary reaction vanes so constructed that the speed of the output shaft for a given input speed will vary more or less inversely as the torque load and the mechanical advantage or torque multiplication provided by the converter will vary inversely with respect to the output speed. Since hydrokinetic torque converters of the type mentioned are well known and since any suitable or conventional design of converter may be employed, details of construction need not be illustrated or described herein. Typical examples of torque converters: are disclosed in United States Patents Nos. 1,199,359 and 2,102,635.

The output shaft d of the converter is connected by a flanged coupling 5, of suitable construction, to the power input shaft 6 of a planetary transmission, indicated generally at 1. Transmission 1 includes a sun gear 8 fixed to the power intake shaft 5, a ring gear 9 fixed to a tubular power output shaft I8, and a planet cage 1! having an inwardly directed flange l2 fixed to a power output shaft It. The tubular shaft I0 is supported in a suitable housing M by means of bearings I5 and i6, and the shaft I3 is journaled by means of bearings I! and 18 in the tubular shaft II] and a recess formed in the right-hand end of the power input shaft 6, respectively. The planet cage ll carries a plurality of planet gear clusters 19, each of which includes a gear 29 in mesh with the sun gear 8 and a slightly larger gear 2! in mesh with the ring gear 9. The planet gear clusters are supported and journaled in the cage by means of bearings 22 and 2 3.

As a result of this arrangement, if the ring gear 9 is held stationary, the output shaft ['3 will be rotated forwardly at reduced speed as compared with the input shaft 6; while if the planet cage I I is held, stationary, the tubular output shaft II will be rotated in reverse at reduced speed as compared with the speed of the shaft 5. In addition, when shafts Hi and 13 are fixed together, they will both rotate at the speed of input shaft 6. Suitable means, hereinafter described in greater detail, are provided for thus controlling the operation of the transmission, with the result that the transmission can operate at two different speed ratios forward and one in reverse.

When the transmission is delivering power from shaft 5 to shaft 15, the load on the ring gear 9 tends to rotate the ring gear in a direction opposite to that of shaft 6. In order to achieve the lower forward speed ratio, means are provided for preventing such reverse rotation of the ring gear. This means comprises a plurality, preferably three, of one-way friction clutches or brake blocks which are equally spaced circumferentially around the periphery of the ring gear. The construction of all of these clutch blocks and their associated control mechanisms is the same and, consequently, a description of one will suflice.

As best shown in Figure 2, the housing i l is provided with an opening 24 having a removable closure plate 25 having a flat inner surface 25. A tapered clutch or brake block 2i is fitted between the inner surface 25 of the plate 25 and the outer periphery of the ring gear 9. This block is somewhat wedge-shaped and is so positioned that counterclockwise rotation of the ring gear, as viewed in Figure 2, will tend to wedge the block between the ring gear and the plate 25 and thus apply a braking force to the gear. A spring 2'8 normally urges the brake block 27 into operative or braking position. As a result of this arrangement, the brake block normally. automatically prevents reverse rotation of the ring gear 9 but will not interfere with forward rotation, since rotation of the ring gear in a forward direction, that is the same direction as the rotation of shaft 6, will tend to force the block 21 to the right, as viewed in Figure 2, and release the brake.

Means are provided in connection with each of the brake blocks 21 for shifting them into an inoperative position. This means comprises a downwardly projecting finger 29, the upper end of which is carried by the rod 35 of a piston the latter being positioned within a cylinder 32 cast integrally with the plate 25. A spring 33 normally holds the piston 3| at the right-hand end of the cylinder 32, as shown in Figure 2, and thus holds the finger 29 out of engagement with the block 21. When it is desired to render the brake block 21 inoperative, air under pressure is admitted through a pipe 34 associated with the left-hand end of the cylinder 32. This shifts the piston, finger 29 and the brake block 21 to the right, as viewed in Figure 2, and thus renders the mechanism inoperative. Under these circumstances, the ring gear 9 is free to rotate in reverse.

When it is desired to effect reverse rotation of the ring gear 9, it is necessary to hold the planet cage H stationary. This is accomplished by ap plying the band brake to the planet cage. Thus, as best shown in Figures 1 and 3, the planet cage includes a cylindrical axially directed portion 35 which surrounds the smaller gears of the planet gear clusters and forms a brake drum. The brake drum and the housings for the planet gear bearings 22 and 23 are integrally con nected together and to the integrally directed flange l2 of the cage by a plurality of webs 55, which are positioned between the planet gear clusters and extend generally parallel to the axis of the transmission.

As best shown in Figure 3, the brake drum 3.5 is provided with a band brake 3'! anchored at one end to the housing M by means of a pin 38 and connected at the other end to a piston rod 39 of a piston 40, which is positioned within a cylinder 4|. Cylinder 4| is fixed to the casing Hi by a suitable bracket 42. A spring 33, positioned within the cylinder, normally urges the piston 55 in a direction to release the brake band 3! from the drum 35. When it is desired to apply the brake band and thus hold the planet cage against rotation, air under pressure is admitted through a pipe 44 to the cylinder 4!.

As a result of the above described construction, it will be apparent that the transmission 1 automatically rotates shaft I3 in low gear ratio when no air is admitted to either of the pipes 34 or 44, and that it rotates shaft E0 in reverse if air is admitted to both of the pipes 34 and 44. 'It will also be apparent that if the shafts I0 and 13 are connected together and no air is admitted to either of the pipes 34 or 44, both of the shafts l5 and IE! will rotate at the same speed as the shaft 6, thus providing the high speed ratio of the transmission. Thus, under some circumstances power is delivered by the shaft I0; under others, power is delivered by the shaft l3. In addition, for the high speed ratio, power may be delivered by either of the shafts It] or 13, provided they are connected together.

A novel arrangement of clutches is provided for connecting either of the shafts IE] .or l3 .to a power take-01f shaft and for connecting the two shafts l5 and I3 together. Thus, as shown in Figure 1, a power take-off shaft 45 is journaled in alignment with the axes of the shafts l0 and I3 by means of bearings 46 and 41 mounted in bearing pedestals 48 and 49, respectively. The power take-off shaft has fixed thereto an enlarged cylindrical housing, indicated generally at which surrounds the extremities of the shafts l0 and I5. Within the housing 455 is positioned a cylindrical drum 5! which is connected by a web 52 in a threaded hub 53 to the outer extremity of the tubular shaft ID. The hub 53 also supports a bearing 54 for the shaft l3. A similar cylindrical drum 55 positioned within the drum 56 is connected by means of a web 56 and a hub 51 to the extremity of the shaft 13. The drum :55 is adapted to be connected independently to either or both of the drums 5E and 55 by a pair of friction clutches, indicated generally at 58 and 55, of the type which consists in an annular inflatable flexible tube which is positioned between the respective drums and is adapted when inflated to urge a friction band carried by one of the drums into frictional engagement with the other drum. The clutch 58, shown in Figure 1, comprises an annular flexible tubular member 50 formed of any suitable airtight flexible material, such as rubber or cloth impregnated rubber. The tube 60 is positioned within an annular recess formed by a pair of inwardly directed flanges or webs E! which are readily slotted at a plurality of points around their inner periphery, as indicated at 62. cumferentially aligned sheet metal plates 63 engage the inner surface of the tube 65 and are provided with projections which extend into the slots 62 in order to prevent circumferential movement of the plates 53 relative to the housing 59. A block of friction material 54 is secured to each of the plates 63 and is adapted to engage the outer periphery of the drum 5| when the tube 50 is inflated by a fluid under pressure. Clutch 59 is of P similar construction and hence need not be further described.

It will be apparent from the above that when air is admitted to either of the clutches 58 or 59, the drum 5!] will be connected to the associated drum 5! or 55 and that, moreover, when both of the clutches 5B and 55 are engaged, shafts l0 and i3 will be connected together to effect the high speed ratio of the transmission.

Air or other fluid under pressure may be ad-' mitted to the clutch 58 through pipe 65, which communicates through a suitable fitting 68 with the annular space between the walls of an axial bore 67 formed in the power take-01f shaft 45, and a tube 58 which extends through the fitting 55 and connects to an external pipe 59. The space between the tube 58 and the bore 51 within which it is positioned is connected by a passageway if! and a pipe H to a fitting llasso-ciated' with the tubular member 55 of clutch 58. Accordingly, when fluid under pressure is admitted to pipe 65,

A plurality of cirshaft It and connecting drive chains I9.

it will be delivered to the tube 50 and effect engagement of the clutch 58. When fluid under "pressure is admitted to the pipe 69, it passes through the tube 58, a passageway 73, pipe I4 and a fitting 75 to the interior of the tube associated with the clutch 59 and thus effects engagement of the latter.

The power take-off shaft is connected to the power input shaft 16 of a conventional rotary table of the type employed in oil Well drilling operations by means of a pair of sprockets 11 fixed to the shaft 45, similar sprockets I8 fixed to the The rotary table drive shaft 16 is suitabl extended for this purpose and journaled at its outer ends in bearings provided in the lower portion of the pedestals 48 and 49,

The relative sizes or the gears in the transmission 1 are so selected that the relation between the high and low speed ratios of the transmission are so correlated with the efficiency-speed ratio curve of the torque converter 3 that the combined torqu converter and transmission will provide a wide range of torque and speed multiplication ratios within the high efiiciency range of operation of the torque converted. Hydrolrinetic torque converters have an efficiency curve which, when plotted against the ratio of the input speed of the converter to the output speed, assumes a form similar to that illustrated in Figure 6 by the line 80. The torque ratio for a typical hydrokinetic torque converter is represented by the line 8| in the same figure. It will be apparent that the eiiiciency of the converter at low and high speed ratios drops off to zero. Consequently, it is highly desirable to maintain the speed ratio of the converter during normal operation within the intermediate range of high efficiency.

In the particular torque converter whose performance is represented by the curve shown in Figure 6, it will be apparent that there is a range of speed ratios from A to B in which the efliciency is high and that the speed ratio at B is a rox imately twice the speed ratio at A. It will be further noted that at the speed ratios A and B, the efliciency oi the torque converter is the same. Consequently, if the transmission is operating in low gear and the speed ratio of the converter is B in Figure 6, the speed ratio of the converter could be reduced to the radio A by doubling the transmission ratio. This would be desirable if the load were tending to fall off, since it would then permit the converter to further increase its speed ratio in the efficient range. Conversely,

if the transmission were in its high ratio and the torque converter were operating at the speed ratio A, a reduction in the speed ratio of the transmission to half its former value would increase the speed ratio of the torque converter to the ratio B. This would be desirable if the load were tending to increase, since it would permit the speed ratio of the converter to decrease within its range of maximum eiiiciency. Accordingly, the transmission 1 is so designed that the two forward speed ratios bear the same relation to each other as the speed ratios A and B of the torque converter employed. The ratios A and B, for design purposes, are chosen as points of relatively high efiiciency on opposite sides of the speed ratio of peak efficiency and are speed ratios at which the efiiciency of the converter is the same. For a torque converter having a curve of the form shown in Figure 6, the ratio between the speed ratios A and B is 2-1. Consequently, the transmission 7 is such a case could have a low speed ratio of 2-1 and a high speed ratio of 1-1.

Any suitable means may be provided for supplying air under pressure to the pipes 34, 44, 65 and Gil. Preferably, however, the means for this purpose comprises a source of air under pressure and a system of solenoid controlled three-way air valves arranged in the manner shown in Figure 5. As there shown, a pipe 3 I, which is connected to any suitable source of air under pressure, delivers air through branch pipes 82, 83 and 84 to three-way solenoid operated valves 85, 86 and 81, respectively. These valves are of the type which normally connect atmospheric ports, indicated diagrammatically at 88, 89 and 90, to valve outlet lines 69, ill and 65. Under these conditions, the branch lines 82, 83 and 84 are blocked by the valves. However, each valve has associated therewith a solenoid, the three solenoids being indicated, respectively, by the numerals 92, 93 and 9 5. Energization of any one of the solenoids shifts the valve spool in a direction to connect the branch pressure supply line to the outlet line of the valve and blocks the atmospheric. port of the valve. Thus, energization of the solenoid 92 connects line 82 to line 69, thereby supplying air under pressure to the clutch 59. Energization of the solenoid 93 connects the pressure supply line 83 to the line 95, which, in turn, is connected to branch lines '34 and 44 associated, respectively, with the one-way clutch blocks 2! and the brake band 31. Energization of solenoid 84 supplies air under pressure from line 84 to line 65, thus engaging the clutch 58.

A suitable form of electrical control circuit for energizing the solenoids 92, 93 and 94 in proper sequence is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 4. As there shown, the circuit includes a pair of supply lines 95 and 96 across which are connected the solenoids 92, 83 and 96 by lines 97, 98 and 99, respectively. Line 99 includes a normally open switch Ifill and switches IOI and I 02, hereinafter described in greater detail, connected in parallel with each other and in series with the switch I68. A branch line IE3 is also connected between the supply line 95 and the left-hand end of the solenoid es in parallel with switches we, NH and I532. A multiple pole switch having a rotatable operating lever, indicated diagrammatically at I64, is provided with three rotary blade contacts located, respectively, in the lines I53, 9'! and 98 and operatively connected to lever HM. The contact in line I03 is a double contact I05 and I86; contacts iBI and I68 are in lines 9'! and 38, respectively. The switch operating lever I04 may be rotated into any one of five positions, but is shown in the low gear position in which the contact I9"! is closed while the contacts I05 and W8 are open. When the lever N54 is shifted downwardly from the position shown, contact closes, thereby energizing solenoid 94 while contact I97 remains closed. This places the transmission in high gear by engaging both. of the clutches 5% and 59. When handle IE4 is shifted to either of the two off positions indicated in Figure 4, none of the solenoids is energized and, therefore, the transmission is disconnected from shaft When the handle M4 is shifted to rcverse position, contacts 106 and IE8 close, energizing solenoids 93 and 94 and thereby establishing the reverse gear drive.

It will be observed that in the operation of the mechanism so far described, switch I0!) is open and the switches I BI and I02 perform no function and hence could have been entirely omitted. It

is desirable, however, to provide automatic means effective under normal conditions to shift the transmission from its high to its low gear ratios, or vice versa, in response to variations in the speed ratio of the converter in order to maintain the converter speed ratio within the range of maximum efiiciency. Accordingly, there may be provided automatic means responsive to the ratio of speeds between the input shaft of the converter and shaft 45 for energizing solenoid 94 when the transmission is in low gear and the speed ratio of the converter exceeds the ratio B in Figure 6 and for de-energizing the solenoid 94 when the transmission is in high gear ratio and the speed ratio of the converter falls below the ratio A in Figure 6. It is for this reason that the switch contact I02 is connected in series with the switch 190 in line 99, the switch contact !02 being a normally open contact which is closed only when the ratio of speed of the converter input shaft to the shaft 45 reaches or exceeds a value equal to the ratio B times the low speed ratio of the transmission. A suitable means for so automatically operating the contact Hi2 is fully disclosed in applicants copending application Serial No. 721,141, filed January 7, 1947, in connection with the corresponding contact H33 of said application, and hence said mechanism need not be set forth further in this application. If desired, the torque converter may be provided with a, speed ratio indicating device for guidance of the operator in determining the optimum shifting ratios if the automatic shifting device is not employed.

In addition, in an oil well rotary table drive, it is desirable to employ some means for limiting the maximum torque which may be applied to the rotary table since the application of an excessive torque may result in twisting off the drill stem or other injury. The use of a hydrokinetic torque converter in the drive connections to the table is advantageous in this connection since it constitutes a yielding fluid drive which will not transmit any shock loads. However, in order to obtain a substantial range of torque multiplication valuation within the effiicient range of the converter, it is desirable to employ a converter which under stall conditions delivers a relatively high torque multiplication. If the transmission is in low gear, which would normally be the case on starting, and the stall torque multiplication of the converter is relatively high, the total torque deilvered to the rotary table may be excessive.

Accordingly, it may be desirable to employ automatic means to insure that the transmission and table drive mechanism are always started with the transmission in its high gear ratio, and further means to insure that the transmission shifts from its low to its high gear ratio when the speed ratio of the converter falls below the ratio A. It is for that reason that the second parallel switch contact [0! is provided in the line 99. The contact I01 corresponds to the contact 104 of applicants above-mentioned copending application and is operated in the manner described above automatically by the mechanism disclosed in said application. \Since this mechanism is fully disclosed and claimed in the aforesaid application, further illustration and description thereof in the present case are believed unnecessary.

It will be apparent that there is provided in accordance with the present invention an exceedin ly flexible yet strong and rugged power transmisadjustments of the speed of the power source and by control of the speed ratio of the transmission. In addition, if desired the transmission lends itself readily to automatic control in response to the speed ratio of the converter in accordance with the principles of applicants above-mentioned prior application. The design also permits the use Of large heavy-duty clutches for connecting the power take-off shaft to eitherof the transmission output shafts, and provides the further advantage that these same two clutches may be used to lock the two transmission output shafts together in order to establish the high speed transmission ratio, or be operated to discount the transmission from its load entirely.

While only one form of the invention is shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations in the arrangement and design of the various features may be indulged in without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

Certain features of the mechanism herein dis- A planetary transmission, including a sun gear,

a ring gear coaxially mounted but axially displaced with respect to aid sun gear, a planet cage coaxially journaled with respect to said gears, a plurality of planet gear clusters journaled on said cage, each cluster including a shaft having a planet gear in mesh with the sun gear and a panet gear of larger diameter than the first planet gear and in mesh with the ring gear, said ring gear and planet cage being journaled on bearings which in their entirety are located inwardly of the axes of the planet gear clusters, said planet page having a cylindrical outer wall surrounding the planet clusters and located at the side of the large planet gears toward the small planet gears, friction means located in the transverse plane of said cylindrical wall and adapted to co-operate with said wall for holding said planet cage stationary, and friction means located adjacent the transverse plane of the larger planet gears and adapted to co-operate with said ring gear for holding said ring gear stationary.

CHARLES M. OLEARY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Feb. 12, 1920 Germany Jan. 5, 1909 Number Number 

